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Real Madrid 1 - Gremio 0: Cristiano Ronaldo goal secures Real the FIFA Club World Cup
CRISTIANO RONALDO scored the winner as Real Madrid clinched the FIFA Club World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning goal for Gremio
Cristiano Ronaldo’s free-kick squirmed through the Gremio wall and into the net early in the second half.
Champions League winners Real were rarely troubled by South America’s best team.
Luka Modric hit the post for Real and Ronaldo himself saw another free-kick fly over the crossbar.
The win secures Real’s status as the best team in world football.
They had already won the trophy in two of the past three years.
Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick went through the wall
Real Madrid players celebrate
And Gremio offered little in way of response once Ronaldo had given Real the lead in the UAE.
The win comes as a timely boost for Real manager Zinedine Zidane, with the first La Liga Clasico of the season against Barcelona scheduled for next weekend.
Real are eight points adrift of their rivals ahead of the Bernabeu encounter.
And they'll need to close that gap soon to stand a chance of retaining the Spanish top flight title.